| When Joe--at the age of seventeen--neared his last | | | | to help carry itself with dignity. The average adult |
| days, I ran away from home. I knew I wouldn't be | | | | dog is 28 inches high and weighs somewhere |
| able to take it. Yes, literally I escaped witnessing my | | | | between 120 to 150 pounds.Some Newfoundlands |
| favorite pet's death. Probably that's why he still feels | | | | have white and black or bronze fur as opposed to |
| alive to me.Joe, a Newfoundland mix, was plucked | | | | the general black with white tuft on chest. The coat |
| from the town's pound when he was a six week-old | | | | of an average Newfoundland is bright black and |
| puppy. Although a mix, he had all the traits of the | | | | water resistant. Its outer layer is long and smooth in |
| breed, starting with loyalty, gentleness, and watching | | | | contrast to the short and dense inner layer. The |
| over our children. He loved life and he loved food. | | | | lesser Newfoundland or St. John's Newfoundland is |
| Twelve years after his passing, our sons still consider | | | | the smaller version of the original breed.The |
| him as their younger brother. As a breed, a | | | | temperament of this breed is inimitable. Incredible |
| Newfoundland is considered a working dog, but Joe | | | | feats of Newfoundlands abound in the news media, |
| was the most wonderful pet one could ever wish | | | | because intelligent and unusually adaptable dogs that |
| for.The Newfoundland is thought to be a cousin to | | | | they are, they quickly figure out what their owners |
| the now extinct American Black Wolf, which also had | | | | want to do and they start working with their owners |
| the classical white spot on its chest. During the first | | | | toward the same goals.A Newfoundland is very loyal, |
| attempts of the conquistadors to settle the new | | | | dignified, fun-loving and soft-natured. His gentleness |
| continent, Newfoundlands roamed the plains in huge, | | | | and serenity has made him the star of children's |
| wild packs since they were indigenous to North | | | | stories, like the Newfoundland in Peter Pan.The feats |
| America.What Thoreau said in Walden about | | | | of this breed have been etched in history as well. It |
| Newfoundlands does not even begin to do this breed | | | | is said, when Leif Ericson visited Newfoundland in |
| justice. "A man is not a good man to me because he | | | | 1001, he carried his dogs with him that mated with |
| will feed me if I should be starving, or warm me if I | | | | the original Newfoundlands, thus producing the |
| should be freezing, or pull me out of a ditch if I | | | | forefathers of the present day Newfoundland dogs.A |
| should ever fall into one. I can find you a | | | | brave Newfoundland saved a French emperor from |
| Newfoundland dog that will do as much." | | | | drowning. That emperor was Napoleon |
| Newfoundlands are much more than that. They are | | | | Bonaparte.During the Civil War, a Newfoundland |
| not only working dogs but also the most loyal | | | | named Major fought the confederates by biting them |
| companions one can ever hope for.For centuries, | | | | until he was killed with a musket shot to his head in |
| these dogs were tamed and trained by the Indians, | | | | the Battle of Mansfield, Lousiana.During World War II, |
| Algonquins and later the Sioux, as load carriers before | | | | Newfoundlands were used as carriers of water, |
| the Spaniards introduced the horse to the | | | | supplies, and ammunition. Canadians claim that they |
| Americas.Newfoundlands were also the breed who | | | | have documented proof that this dog was in |
| traveled on explorers' ships. As a good watchdog, a | | | | existence even during 3000 BC together with the |
| Newfoundland was the dog of choice on board. The | | | | Canadian Indians of Newfoundland who buried their |
| dog also had swimming, life-saving, and sniffing | | | | dead together with their dogs.The Newfoundland has |
| abilities. A Newfoundland smelled land before it could | | | | been made the official animal emblem on October 5, |
| be seen from the ship and alerted everyone with his | | | | 1972, by the government of Newfoundland, Canada. |
| excited behavior.The Newfoundland of today is a big | | | | Not only the Newfoundland as breed has his picture |
| heavy dog with muscular shoulders, strong neck, | | | | on the Canadian stamps now, but also a |
| strong-boned forelegs, long black fur with a white | | | | Newfoundland as pet has carved his love in this |
| spot on the chest, and a powerful body. The original | | | | owner's heart.This article has been submitted by Joy |
| Newfoundland had a short neck, but in today's dog | | | | Cagil in affiliation with which is a site for Pet Forums. |
| shows, the breed is expected to have a longer neck | | | | |